Archive for the ‘Islam 101’ category
Jihad on Terrorism Documentary: The Truth about Jihad in Islam
In a documentary produced by the Bridges Foundation, a brief background about Islam is explained and the proper definition, historical context, and current interpretation of jihad in Islam are expounded upon by Muslim scholars and leaders including Imam Suhaib Webb, Fadel Soliman, and Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick. They are also joined by academics and scholars from [...]
Oppression and the Scales of Justice
Ali Shareef From eastern Congo with the rapes of hundreds of women to bombs that kill dozens in Pakistan and Afghanistan; from the raging drug battles in Mexico to the attacks on Sept. 11 ten years ago, or the other uncountable acts of violence that occur all over the world, the specter of oppression and [...]
Who can escape the Fire?
Paradise and Hell Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII Hell-Fire is filled with torments and punishments beyond our imagination, but the main characteristic of Hell is fire. Many of the various names of Hell show us different aspects of this Fire, giving us a complete picture of [...]
Ramadan, the Qur’an, and Us
The month of Ramadan is a time when we, despite the struggle, keep ourselves away from that which is otherwise permissible and a necessity in our life. For the past eleven months, at some level we have given preference to our physical self, in terms of nourishment, than our soul. We’ve done things we shouldn’t [...]
Glimpses into the World of the Unseen
By Raiiq Ridwan Glimpses into the World of the Unseen Part: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII On the 14th of May, the first Islamic course at Al-Kauthar Institute in Bangladesh, entitled “World of the Unseen,” ended. The course instructor was Shaykh Tawfique Chowdhury, founder of Al-Kauthar. I feel so very thankful to Allah (swt) that Allah has blessed me with [...]
The Reality of Faith and Its Branches
by Sheikh Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Abdul Monim1 | Translated by Osman Umarji The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) said, “Faith has approximately seventy branches (or sixty some in another narration). The highest branch is [living] the statement ‘There is no god except for Allah’; the lowest branch is removing anything harmful from the [...]
Question About Dogs
QUESTION: Assalamu `alaykum. `Amu, I was playing with some friends and they started throwing rocks at a black dog. When I told them to stop, they said that Islam encourages us to kill them. Is that true? My mom told me to ask you. ANSWER: No, we are not! A great scholar named al-Hattab wrote, [...]
What is Shariah Law?
In light of recent political debates about Shari`ah in America, Osman Umarji explained what Shari`ah law is during a friday sermon at the Islamic Center of Irvine on March 25, 2011.
Does Islam Force Itself On Others?
The Accusation One of the most common, yet groundless, accusations being made against Islam is that it forces itself on others. The picture presented is that if someone does not stop Islam, it will forcefully convert everyone, even at gunpoint. Here is one of the verses commonly quoted by those who make their living propagating [...]
Tawakkul: Reliance upon Allah
How to Achieve Tranquility in the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX Developing Our [...]
The Dream of Life
It was only a dream. For a moment, it overtakes me. Yet the suffering I feel in my nightmare is only an illusion. Temporary. Like the blink of an eye. Why do I dream? Why do I have to feel that loss, fear, and sadness in my sleep? On a greater scale, it’s a question [...]
Question Regarding Marital Rape
Question: Is marital rape allowed in Islam? Answer: As salaamu alaykum, Thank you for asking this important question which has come to the fore in recent times, and which has been the cause of confusion for many people. Here are some important points to take into consideration when learning about this issue: It is absolutely [...]
Angry Hijabi
by Aasiyah Abdul Musawwir let me be frank with you, buzz-cut Mao-quoting tattoo-bearing gender and women studies major, waving your flag of female liberation up in my face – no, Man (with a capital “M”) has not colonized my mind. no i am not beaten, abused, or subjugated by my heinous male relatives. and the [...]
Voice of An American Muslim
Suhaib Webb spoke at the University of Missouri-Columbia on Thursday October 28, 2010. Voice of an American Muslim was the concluding speech of Islam Awareness Week. Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:30:27 — 21.8 MB)
Traveling with Jihad
When viewed through the lens of a shared history, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam provide differing perspectives on similar themes. Join Jihad Turk as he leads Charles Annenberg Weingarten through the common threads that tie the western faiths with that of Islam. explore is a multimedia organization that documents leaders around the world who have devoted [...]
Freedom of Religion, Minority Rights, and the American Constitution
Podcast: Download (Duration: 17:37 — 42.3 MB) On Friday, November 5, 2010, the University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion, Gender and Class held a full day symposium at the UM School of Law in Baltimore titled “Confronting Islam: Shari’ah, the Constitution and American Muslims.” The event attracted about 100 guests including college students and professors [...]
Allah, Avatar and the Planet
Lecture by Haroon Moghul | in collaboration with ICNYU Podcast: Download (Duration: 26:59 — 25.9MB) More and more Americans and Westerners are suspicious of “organized religion”. But Americans remain deeply spiritual, and continue to express a desire for a meaningful life of transcendence. The environmental movement represents one such trend: Re-connecting with Mother Earth, seeing all life as part [...]
The Statute of Tolerance in Islam
by Dr. `Ali Gom`a | Translated by Farida Khalil The Qur’an establishes clear principles for mankind (to live by). It declares unequivocally that all human beings were created from one being and are united by common origin. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (Exalted and All-Mighty) says: “O mankind, be mindful of your Lord, Who created you from [...]
Human Encounters, Perception and the Muslim Response
Several years ago my wife had a series of phone conversations with a reporter from a local news agency. They had a couple of nice conversations and agreed on a time to meet and do an interview for the TV station. We drove to the station and when we arrived the receptionist looked surprised that [...]
Allahu Akbar
by Ahmed Zaafran When you hear the expression Allahu Akbar (God is Greater), what do you think? What do you see and what do you feel? If you were to believe the magic box sitting in your living room, then you might think of bearded men with turbans screaming. You might imagine atrocious “honor killings” [...]
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